New-look Orlando Magic fall to Atlanta Hawks

December 20, 2010|By Josh Robbins, Orlando Sentinel

ATLANTA — Around 6 p.m. Monday, Stan Van Gundy predicted that the hours to follow would be difficult. His Orlando Magic recently welcomed four new players and bid farewell to four others, so he thought his new-look team would look ragged when they faced the Atlanta Hawks.

All too true.

The additions of Gilbert Arenas, Jason Richardson and Hedo Turkoglu might help the offense in the long run, but on Monday night, Orlando looked like a team that had just started training camp. The Magic shot just 35.2 percent from the field and fell 91-81 to the Hawks at Philips Arena.

"We just got here," Arenas said afterward. "We haven't been together more than 24 hours, haven't had any practices, just walk-throughs. Give us a week, two weeks, and we should jell together. When you've got players that know how to play the game, they'll figure it out pretty quick."

None of the new guys found a rhythm. Arenas scored 10 points. Richardson chipped in nine. Turkoglu added eight.

Together, they hit just six of the 23 shots they attempted.

Richardson felt a bit overanxious, filled with nervous energy, not wanting to mess up the vibe of the team. It didn't help that he and Turkoglu woke up early Monday to take physicals at 7 in the morning, then participated in a walk-through at the team hotel a few hours later.

"It was just a long day for us," Richardson said.

For them and for the team.

The Magic now have lost seven of their last eight games, and that tailspin could worsen in the days ahead. They will face the Dallas Mavericks tonight, the San Antonio Spurs on Thursday and the Boston Celtics on Saturday.

Some Christmas gift that should be. The Mavs, Spurs and Celtics own the three best records in the NBA this season.

Dwight Howard did his part Monday, scoring 19 points and collecting a game-high 20 rebounds.

After the game ended, he acknowledged that the Magic have endured a "terrible month," but he said once again, as he has for days, that the team will pull out of its slump.

It will have to do so on the fly.

Orlando (16-11) should be encouraged that Arenas has a smile on his face. Today marks the first anniversary of the locker-room guns incident that threw his career with the Washington Wizards into turmoil. But Arenas feels as if the Magic have given him a fresh start.

When Jameer Nelson hit a driving layup late in Monday's first quarter, cutting Atlanta's lead to four points, Arenas grinned, clapped and high-fived all four of his teammates as they walked off the court.

"This is a new beginning with a new team, a new city, new fans," said Arenas, who came off the bench and hit 2 of his 11 shots. "I just can't wait to get in front of 'em and embrace the city and let them embrace me."

Turkoglu, of course, is a familiar face to Magic fans.

Yet he, too, thinks he will need an adjustment period.

"It's going to take time for all of us," said Turkoglu, who attempted just four shots. "For me. For everybody. In that period, we've just got to go out there and do our best."

Atlanta (18-12) took advantage of Orlando's limited depth at center and power forward.

Journeyman Malik Allen played just over 13 minutes at those spots without scoring a point. He collected just one rebound. His night ended when he sprained his left ankle late in the third quarter.

Despite Howard's big night on the glass, the Hawks outrebounded the Magic 51-38, another sign that the team will have to make a move to replenish its depth on the interior.

"It was just a long, long night," Van Gundy said.

Just as he had predicted.

Read Josh Robbins' blog at OrlandoSentinel.com/magicblog and e-mail him at jrobbins@orlandosentinel.com. Subscribe to our Orlando Magic newsletter at OrlandoSentinel.com/joinus.